About the Book

Book: A Vanishing Act

Author: Edwina Kiernan

Genre: Christian Historical Mystery, Fairytale retelling

Release date: May 2, 2023

Hollywood legend Kent Selwood isn’t happy sharing the limelight with rising star Stella Sanders. Tired of Stella’s drama, Kent makes it clear—he wants Stella gone.

Seamstress Bonnie Roseland is practically invisible to everyone at the studio, except for slick actor, Jerry Jackson. He’s the one man she wishes would leave her alone. Her deep-rooted faith helps her see beyond the glitz and glamor to the broken realities and dysfunctional atmosphere at the studio. She sometimes wonder if God has a purpose for her there or if she should just move on.

When the studio receives blackmail letters, Kent’s attitude makes him the prime suspect, and he’s swiftly banished from the lot, despite insisting that he’s been framed. Only Bonnie believes him, and she’s confident she knows who the real culprit is.

But when a ransom note arrives after Stella goes missing and evidence is discovered that clearly implicates Kent, will Bonnie help him uncover the truth in time to save his career… and Stella’s life?

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About the Author

Edwina Kiernan is the Christian author of the Amazon bestseller, Ruby’s Redemption. Her Inspirational Regency romance series, Gems of Grace, explores how God’s grace can heal hurts, establish faith and renew hope.

An enthusiast of classic novels and history, Edwina combines her faith, imagination and research in hope-infused tales set in times past. A lifelong word admirer, with Welsh and Irish heritage, she started writing stories early in childhood, and is never too far from a pen and paper.

When she’s not writing, Edwina loves spending time with her dashing husband and lively little son, reading and studying the Bible, getting lost in a captivating novel and drinking more types of tea than most people realize even exist.

Visit her website at EdwinaKiernan.com for more information, and to join her mailing list for free gifts, updates and lots of classic and historical fiction goodness.

More from Edwina

Glitz and glamor, sunshine and smiles — is that what you first think of when you hear the word, ‘Hollywood’? It seems like a whole other world, full of sparkle and shimmer.

But what’s beneath the surface?

In A Vanishing Act, Bonnie Roseland is about to find out…

Every book I write has a key verse from the Bible. A verse that anchors the message or theme of the story. A Vanishing Act’s verse is 1 Samuel 16:7: “…man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart”.

It’s so easy to fall into the trap of judging people on their appearances. And there’s a lot of that going on in the book. But there’s also a lot of revelation, of realization, and of redemption.

It’s my prayer that as you read A Vanishing Act, you’ll enjoy the twists and turns of the tale, but that you’ll also embrace the truth of Bonnie’s words to Kent: “I know Hollywood seems like a place where God isn’t welcome, but He’s here, too. And He loves you.”

So grab your copy and join Kent, Bonnie and a cast of varied characters as they work hard, take risks and solve a dangerous mystery.

And remember… Things aren’t always what they seem.

MY REVIEW

I like the take the author took on a classic fairy tale. With a setting of Hollywood in the 1940s we see how cutthroat it can be when a famous star starts to unravel. His leading lady disappears and letters start coming to the studio that cause everyone to be alarmed. Kent has this dislike for Stella and makes it clear that he doesn’t want to work with her. Guess maybe he should have kept those thoughts to himself. He may be famous and handsome but he becomes a major suspect and sees his career start to crumble before his eyes.

Bonnie is a very gifted seamstress and hears the rumors going around about Kent. She can’t believe he had anything to do with Stella’s disappearance and sets out to help him. I loved how she was direct with him about his attitude and shared God with him. He starts to see how he how sinned and questions Bonnie about Heaven and Hell. Sharing with Kent how to be saved is very emotional and I applaud Bonnie for reaching out to him. He has lost his way and needs someone to believe in him.

I liked watching Kent transform before our eyes as Bonnie’s words open up his heart and at that moment there was no denying that Kent was a new man. Now he must prove his innocence and trust God. Just when I thought I figured out the mystery, the author throws a curve ball.

If you love going back to the 1940s when Hollywood was becoming the place to be seen, a mystery that has deceit and bitterness nestled in with a good characters and redemption, this book is for you.

I received a copy of this book from Celebrate Lit. The review is my own opinion.